SLIDER

29 March, 2017

One of the best things about living in LA, is the accessibility of the Santa Monica Mountains where you are almost instantly transported outside of the hustle of Los Angeles into the wilderness of the largest urban national park. On this route you are relatively straight along the Pacific Coast Highway with beautiful beach ocean views leading up to Topanga Canyon where there are endless serpentine roads, mountains, and trails to explore by foot and bike. Though, there is the challenge in climbing this route if you consider yourself a road rookie (like me) but it is so worth the views and descend back to the beach to cool off.

15 March, 2017

Ever dreamed of versatile tights that you could wear anywhere?Announced today, apparel brand Pixi Cycling launches their flagship product The Go Anywhere line that enables women to seamlessly transition from yoga, running, outdoor and indoor cycling to all other active parts of their lives. How? By arming leggings with discreet, removable butt pads that solve chafing, pelvic bruising and genital numbness problems for female cyclists and spin class goers.The Go Anywhere line by Pixi is making its debut on Kickstarter campaign today for pre-orders at their Kickstarter linkhttp://kck.st/2lUsMlA. Immediately following, this new apparel line will appear online at www.pixicycling.comand at indoor cycling studios and bike shops nationwide.Inspired by the need to create a comfortable and stylish option for women who cycle, CEO Emily Welsch started product development from scratch, throwing out the conventional form and function of bulky cycling pants. Surprisingly, she ended up taking cues from women’s bras, inspired by how they contour and support a woman’s form. This design journey culminated in the filing of both a utility and design patent for her tush technology.

The TushCush features gentle, subtle fasteners and a soft, contoured pad to provide a flexible fit that hugs the body, moving as the body moves, and never falling out of place when the wearer pops from standing to sitting in the saddle. The soft, smooth pad offers pelvic protection without causing chafing or irritating delicate skin.“Since the modern women moves quickly from one activity to the next, we needed to design the apparel to be both stylish and versatile,” says Welsch. That is why TushCush pads will be sold individually and in packs of three, interchangeable in every pair of the Go Anywhere bottoms. Their ultra-versatile line of shorts, capris, crops, and full-length leggings are made from technical fabrics that are sweat-wicking, breathable, sheer-proof and super soft. The bottoms can be worn with or without the TushCush, for a seamless transition from working out to going out.

The Go Anywhere bottoms are constructed with a breathable, silky soft fabric that wicks away sweat making them perfect for steamy indoor cycling workouts, hot yoga, and high humidity running. The sheer-proof bottoms can be worn with the pad for cycle and spin, or without the pad for yoga, run, leisure, brunch or whatever comes next. With the racer and commuter in mind, each pant includes reflective elements to keep riders visible in low light and a front pocket to hold essentials.

And the best part? No special care is required - just toss everything into the washer, hang dry, and go. The TushCush folds neatly inside a small mesh bag that can be discreetly carried in a pocket or purse when on foot.

Their four-way stretch fabric balances compression with give for optimum athletic performance and comfort. Wear them to the gym, while running errands, or even dress them up for a night out. Feel confident and collected in downward dog and position 3 on the bike. Their sheer-proof fabric won't leave you feeling exposed. Their breathable and quick drying fabric helps regulate your temperature so you'll be sitting pretty by the time the mimosas arrive for post-workout brunch.

Beyond selling versatile apparel, Pixi Cycling has a steadfast commitment to getting more women on bikes while promoting confidence and health. The women who wear their products appreciate not only the innovation that helps them avoid painful chafing, bruising or genital numbness, but also helps them maintain a healthy, active lifestyle.

10 March, 2017

One of my favorite things to do in Southern California is ride along the coast. With the Pacific ocean in view, the sun shining, and miles of beachside concrete, it's no wonder that one of the best routes to cycle in SoCal is The Strand. I was recommended this trail by Spinlister, an online bike rental site, who shared two options of the strand from Point Dume to Santa Monica, or Venice to Hermosa beach. Personally, I did the the ride from Santa Monica all the way to Hermosa Beach and back. The best thing about cycling this route is that it is really flexible, easy, and beautiful. It's one of the best ways to get a feel for an ocean breeze ride along the Pacific if you don't want to climb along beach cliffs.

To characterize the Strand, there are many a miles of concrete for cyclists/skaters/skateboarders/runners to do their thing and you don't have to worry about any cars. In flexibility, you can start at Santa Monica and end in Redondo Beach, hopping on and off bike to get a feel for the numerous beaches you'll be riding through and a bite to eat. I have yet to ride beyond the Santa Monica Pier but the Marvin Braude Bike Trail (which is The Strand) does go all the way through to Will Rogers State Beach in the Pacific Palisades. The bike trail is a total of 22 miles one way, so this is the perfect all day ride going back and forth.

Sand. You will most likely have to deal with the moderate buildup of sand on the bike paths. I found that the further south you go, the more your likely to find more sand build up. This can be an obstacle depending on your tires and speed, as it will surely slow you down.

If riding along sandy trails and crowds don't bother you then the benefits of riding The Strand will far outweigh the cons. After all, this is some of the best views and stretches of of LA's finest beaches. From Santa Monica's family friendly routes to Venice beaches quirky characters, there is so much sun and sand to soak in on a coastal ride here.